Hull Hopes Hoover Hangs On

Decked out in a red tie and dress shirt, Mark Hull walked away from Hoover High’s main quadrangle holding a small trophy and flowers wrapped in cellophane.

Flowers? For a strapping 6-foot-6 basketball player?

The good-natured Hull, Hoover’s top player and quiet leader, didn’t mind.

“It was nice,” Hull said of the ceremony Thursday morning to honor seniors on the Hoover boys’ and girls’ basketball teams. “I was tired all day [Wednesday] but I couldn’t go to sleep thinking this could be my last home game.”

Hull was right.

A 67-66 loss to Crescenta Valley in a Pacific League game Thursday night left the Tornadoes (16-9, 6-4 in league play) wondering if they’ll participate in the boys’ Southern Section playoffs that start Wednesday.

The Tornadoes finished tied for third place with Crescenta Valley but lost both games against the Falcons, who are seeded No. 3 from the league for the playoffs. Hoover hopes to get in with an at-large berth when the pairings are announced Sunday.

Hull fears being disappointed, so he welcomes every chance to prolong his stellar career at Hoover, even if only on the road.

And even if it delays his yearly transition to baseball, his other sport. “I’m looking forward to the playoffs,” he said.

Hull certainly did his part to steer Hoover in that direction, and he did it the past two games with four stitches in his right cheek.

“A teammate and I collided last week at practice and his tooth cut me,” Hull said.

Not like Hull has cut into opponents.

He started the week averaging 27.8 points, second-best in the region, and 13.6 rebounds, and capped the regular season with 32 points and 12 rebounds against Crescenta Valley.

In three varsity seasons, Hull has scored more than 1,400 points and helped the Tornadoes to the league championship as a sophomore in 1995-96. As a freshman, he led the sophomore team to a 10-0 record and the league title which, as he noted with a twinkle in his eye, started a personal unbeaten streak against cross-town rival Glendale.

“That’s going to stick with me for a while,” Hull said.

For Hull, a placid and scholarly youngster with about a 3.5 grade-point average, those are practically fighting words. He is more comfortable on the court than talking about himself.

“He’s a class act,” said Kirt Kohlmeier, Hoover’s longtime coach. “He’s the kind of guy who makes all the time you put into coaching special. . . . He gives loyalty to the school and to the team and he doesn’t expect anything in return.”

Well, almost nothing. A college scholarship, Hull said, would be sweet.

Hull is high on UC Irvine’s recruiting list but held off committing to the Anteaters in November because he wanted to explore his options after the season. There was also baseball, where he is an all-league third baseman, to consider.

But Hull said he’s no longer thinking about playing two sports in college.

“The baseball recruiting isn’t as heavy right now but I’m leaning toward basketball,” Hull said. “I was hoping to get recognized as a good player in the area.”

Hull doesn’t have to doubt his ability. Although probably destined to play guard in college, his size and quickness make him difficult to defend as a high school forward. He can whiz by bigger opponents and post up on smaller ones.

His skills are among the best Kohlmeier has seen in a Hoover player in his 19 seasons.

“He’s very versatile,” Kohlmeier said. “The thing I enjoy about Mark is how each year he has developed not only physically but mentally. He takes a step up every year.”

Hull only hopes that next step is to the playoffs.